Chess-Like Board Game

ABSTRACT

A chess-like board game with a commercial name of Starship Chess provides a one-on-one tactical space combat game, like the game of chess between two versatile playing pieces. The game is played by two players and each player has a fully maneuverable starship, complete with manageable resources, engines, weapons, and shields. Each player must navigate his starship in order to gain an advantage over the player&#39;s opponent with respect to direction and position. A starship can engage, withdraw, replenish, and reposition to plan out attacks. Players must learn to think ahead, predict opposing player&#39;s tactics, and outwit the opponent to win.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a board game, more particularly to a chess-like board game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game of chess has been played for centuries on a traditional chessboard by two players. The chessboard contains 64 squares, alternating light and dark colors. The game is typically played with 2 sets of 16 chess pieces. Chess is a game of skill and the winner of the game is usually determined by the relative skill and playing experience of the players.

Different forms and variations of the game chess have been developed and played. There is always an effort to make the game of chess even more complex and challenging by adding more than two players, by adding a three-dimensional chess board and by altering the traditional rules. While some may find these alterations challenging, many find the conventional game of chess, as well as the modified games of chess to be rather monotonous and uninteresting due to the prolonged periods of play required and the intense concentration required during the course of play.

A modified chess game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,326 issued to Vialek, which utilizes a die to introduce an element of chance to the game. However, the game utilizes a conventional chessboard having sixty-four squares and the conventional number of chess players, thirty-two. Consequently, the game is still relatively complex, time consuming, and for many, not enjoyable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The instant board game assembly, as illustrated herein, is clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. The versatile system and method for a new and improved chess-like board game are illustrated. Thus, the several embodiments of the instant apparatus are illustrated herein.

It is an object of the present assembly to provide a new chess-like board game, particularly a chess-like board game, wherein the game is played by two or more people and uses easily obtainable, non-proprietary, everyday household and classic gaming items as the game pieces.

It is yet another object of the present assembly to provide a new chess-like board game that is a one-on-one tactical space combat game.

It is yet another object of the present assembly to provide a modified chess-like game which may be played by two players.

It is yet another object of the present assembly to provide a modified chess-like game, which may be played by two players, more than two players, individually, or even by teams.

Another object of this assembly is to provide a modified chess-like game which incorporates all the interest of a conventional chess game but which provides more entertainment and excitement.

It is yet another embodiment of the present assembly is to provide a new chess-like board game and its associated method of game play.

The present assembly relates to a new chess-like board game having a plurality of game pieces. The plurality of game pieces include a chess board, a cribbage board, two decks of playing cards, two flat door keys, at least one but up to two dice, at least one but up to two coins. It is preferable to play with two dice and two coins.

The chessboard represents outer space, where the action of the game takes place. The chessboard also represents a player's star chart. In order to play the chess-like board game, the chessboard should be placed diagonally between the two players so that opposite corners face each player.

The two flat door keys represent each player's starship. The wide end of the key is the front of the starship and presents the “bridge.” The thin end of the key is the rear of the starship and represents the “engines.” The two keys are placed diagonally across from one another on the chessboard, one square in from each corner facing the center of the chessboard.

The two flat door keys should preferably fit within the boundaries of a given square on the chessboard. Each player's key should look different from his or her opponent's key.

In another embodiment of the present assembly, if keys are not available, any item that resembles a key, including a cardboard cut-out piece, or a custom bent paperclip, for example may be used. In any event, the item used should clearly possess a wide end and a thin end to differentiate one end from the other.

The cribbage board represents a player's console on the bridge, displaying each player's ship's engineering data and damage reports. The cribbage board is how score is kept between the two players. Basic cribbage boards consist of two streets or rows per side, each street contains 30 holes.

The cribbage board is placed to one side of the chessboard so that the ends face each of the players. Each player uses the two streets on the cribbage board of 30 holes to their left. The players place their two respective pegs from the cribbage board at their respective far end. The outer street of 30 holes represents a player's power level or energy. The inner street of 30 holes represents a player's shield level or health.

In one embodiment of the present assembly, if the players' cribbage board is not basic and differs from typical cribbage boards, both players may mark it off with extra pegs so that only 30 holes in a row are used. To alter difficulty levels, players may handicap matches by differing the maximum number of holes each player uses.

The players also use at least one 6-sided dice. It is preferable for each player to possess his own single die. The dice are used to roll for random attack damage. If a player rolls a 1, 2, or 3, the numbers represent 1, 2, or 3. Further, if a player rolls a 4, 5, or 6, these numbers also count as a 1, 2, or 3, respectively.

In another embodiment, custom dice may be made for the game if desired. Custom dice would show the numbers 1, 2, and 3 depicted twice, representing the game rules intended. This could make counting a bit easier in gameplay because if a player uses a traditional dice, numbers 1, 2, 3 would count as 1, 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6 would also count as 1, 2, 3. Thus, customized dice may be easier for gameplay.

The two coins are used to represent a player's reflector shield. A player would use the coins to “raise” his reflector shields against attacks and determine if the shield fails or holds strong. A player would flip a coin: the heads side means that the shield holds strong; the tails side means that the shield fails.

The coins may be any type of coin as long as each coin has a definitive “heads” side and “tails” side to differentiate the two sides of the coin. It is a preferable embodiment, to acquire two different-looking coins, so each player knows which coin belongs to them.

Two decks of regular playing cards are used to determine a player's ship's movements and functions. Each player needs one full deck of cards to play. It is preferable for each player to possess a different color or pattern on the deck to help differentiate the players. In another embodiment, the playing cards may be customizable to the game.

In one embodiment of the assembly, only certain playing cards will be required for gameplay and the rest of the cards may be set aside. Initially, a player sets aside all of the cards displaying the heart except the four, five, six, and ten of hearts.

In yet another embodiment of the current assembly, players may acquire custom cards designed specifically for the game.

In one embodiment of the present assembly, in order to play the game, each player chooses the following cards and keeps them in his hand: Ace of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; Two of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; Three of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; Four of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; Five of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; Six of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; three left-facing face cards, three right-facing face cards. These are the player's navigation cards.

The player also selects the Seven of Clubs, Spades and Diamonds cards from the deck. These cards are the player's repair cards.

The player also selects the Four, Five, and Six of Hearts cards and stacks these cards somewhere in the vicinity of the gameplay, sideways, face-up, with the Five of Hearts on top. These cards are the player's engine-status cards.

The player also selects the Ten of Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds cards and spreads them nearby the game board. These represent the player's torpedoes.

In yet another embodiment, each player may select for their deck of cards a set of particular cards comprising of a set of 4, 5, 6, 10 of a first denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a second denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a third denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a fourth denomination of playing card; and a set of any three face cards selected from the group consisting of a first face card, a second face card, and a third face card.

The faces of the first face card, the second face card, and the third face card may be right-facing. Further, a set of a first face card, second face card and third face card may be left-facing.

In a preferred embodiment of the present assembly, each player or captain of the starship plots a course by placing three navigation cards face-down in a row. Both captains flip over their first card at the same time, thus enacting the results of the card simultaneously. The same action is repeated for the second card and the third card. Now, after the three cards are flipped, each starship regains one power point and plots their next course. The power may be transferred to and from the shields (discussed further below) before playing the next turn. This pattern continues throughout the game.

In one embodiment, the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a second denomination of playing card; the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a third denomination of playing card; the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a fourth denomination of playing card; and wherein the faces of the left-facing three face cards and the right-facing three face-cards correspond to navigation cards of the chess-like board game.

In another embodiment, the 10 of the first denomination of playing card, the 10 of the second denomination of playing card, the 10 of the third denomination of playing card and the 10 of the fourth denomination of playing card correspond to torpedo cards.

In one embodiment, the 4, 5, 6 of the first denomination of playing card correspond to engine-status cards.

In one embodiment, the 7 of the second denomination of playing card, the 7 of third denomination of playing card, and 7 of fourth denomination of playing card correspond to repair cards.

In a preferred embodiment of the present assembly, the navigation cards, specifically the Ace, Two, Three, and Four of Clubs, Spades, and Diamonds, move a player's starship by that number of squares forward, wherein the Ace cards equal one square, the Two cards equal two squares, etc. The Five of Clubs, Spades, or Diamonds, are considered “stop cards” and stops a player's starship. The Six of Clubs, Spades or Diamonds, moves a player's starship one square in reverse. The face-cards turn a player's starship left or right by one point in the direction that the character (king, queen, or jack) is facing. Each square on the chessboard has eight points: four corners and four sides.

In another embodiment of the present assembly, each square on the chess or checkerboard is comprised of eight increments or ‘points’ as on a compass for directional turning and movement of the playing pieces. These are the four sides, and the four corners.

In another preferred embodiment of the present assembly, the engine-status cards: the Four, Five, and Six of Hearts cards remain stacked horizontally in front of each player or to the side of the player. The topmost card displays a player's current direction of movement, where in the Four of Hearts signifies forward movement, the Five of Hearts signifies a stopped position, or the Six of Hearts signifies reverse movement. Players may choose to remember that the Four of Hearts indicates “4-ward,” Five of Hearts is similar to holding up a hand with five digits meaning “stop!,” and the Six of Hearts as being on the opposite side of stop from the Four of Hearts.

The game begins with both starships in the stopped position with the Five of Hearts card on top. As the game is played, the players continually swap the topmost engine-status card to indicate the starship's current engine-status. The topmost card dictates how a player's starship moves when using the navigation cards. Further, a stop card must be played before changing forward or reverse.

In another embodiment of the present assembly, when the starship's engines are in a stopped position, the player's starship can only travel straight ahead or behind, or rotate in place. A player's starship can only change between forward position and reverse position if the starship has been in the stop position first. When a player's starship piece is in a forward position, a turn card rotates the front of the starship by 1 point, and then moves the starship 1 square forward/ahead. In reverse, a turn card rotates the rear of the starship by 1 point, then moves you 1 square backward.

Moving one square at a time costs the starship no power because in the game moving the required spot is considered minimal power. However, moving ahead in excess of one square, either 2 squares, 3 squares, or 4 squares ahead, is considered light-speed power, and costs a player one point of power. A player may only light-speed his starship forward, not in reverse. If the player tries to use the light-speed option while the starship is in reverse position, the starship stops. If the player tries to use light-speed but the player is out of power, the player's action is dictated solely by the engine-status cards. The player may only move forward one square, stay stopped, or move in reverse one square.

Another embodiment of the present assembly is that the chessboard, also known as space, is boundless. Thus, a player may travel off the chessboard and continue on the opposite side of the board, as if both sides of the board touched and were continuous. Exiting the board diagonally, keeps a player's starship on the same color square, in the same direction. If the players so wish, the players may slide or drift both starships to the middle of the board in order to make the starships easier to view. The players would keep the starships in the exact position and distance from one another.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, players may combat the starships. In general, a combat encounter is initiated when both starships come within attacking range of each other. The attack ranges are: long range, wherein the starships are two squares apart of each other; short range, wherein the starships are one square from each other; point-blank range, wherein the starships share the same square. Players may either attack an opposing starship with weapons or defend a starship against an opposing starship with shields.

When a player chooses to attack the opposing starship, the player has a choice to attack using one weapon, both weapons, or hold fire. If a player defends an attack and raises a shield, the player is not able to attack. Battle plays out simultaneously, thus both player's starships always incur some type of damage at the same time.

In one embodiment, each player has two weapons: lasers and torpedoes. Each weapon may be fired once per combat encounter.

Lasers cost a player one point of power each time a laser weapon is used. In a combat, lasers lock an opposing starship's vulnerable areas and fires beams from the starship's “laser guns.” The precision and duration of the laser beams are affected by the angle of the starship while firing and attacking. In one preferable embodiment, the most destructive laser attack is discharged upon a target starship nearest the front corners of the attacking starship. The least potent laser attack is fired from the rear of the attacking starship. Laser damage is based on where the opposing starship is in proximity to the attacking starship, as opposed to torpedo damage is based on just the opposite (explained below).

Torpedoes cost a player one of the player's four torpedo cards: the 10 of Hearts, Clubs, Spades, and Diamonds cards. In a combat, torpedoes are fired from the starship's “launch tubes” toward the opposing starship and detonate on impact. When fired at an opposing starship, a torpedo has potential to cause devastating damage to the opposing starship depending on which side of the opposing starship receives impact. Torpedoes do the most damage at the rear position of the opposing starship. Torpedoes are less crippling when fired at an opposing starship's front corners. Torpedo damage is based on where the attacking starship is in proximity to the opposing starship, as opposed to laser attacks which are just the opposite (See above).

In yet another embodiment of the current assembly, during a combat between two starships, lasers strike before torpedoes do, and laser damage is deducted first. Thus, lasers can destroy a starship before torpedoes are even launched. When torpedo damage is calculated, torpedoes do two more points of damage than lasers do. Even when the attacked starship uses a reflector shield, torpedoes still deliver one point of damage at long range, and two points at short range or point-blank range due to impact.

When a player wants to utilize a torpedo card, the torpedo card must be displayed on the chessboard during play. Once the torpedo card is used, the player discards it so that both players are capable of keeping track of the number of torpedo cards each player has remaining.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, damage to a starship is calculated by distance, location, and direction (also known as range, position, and heading) during an attack. Then, the dice are rolled and an additional random damage of one to three is added. Damage levels are the same for both weapons, except that a player adds plus two damage points to torpedoes. Damage points are deducted from the shield bank of the player's console (See Ship Console description below).

Distance influences damage. The closer a player is to an opposing player on attack, the more damage the starship can do. Damage points can range from a minimum of one point to a maximum of eight points. Long range distance is when two starships are two squares away from each other. Short range is when two starships are one square away from each other. Point-blank range is when both starships occupy the same square.

Damage for lasers is determined by the player's starship's heading. Damage for torpedoes is determined by the player's starship's position. Damage is distributed in a “Y” pattern. A “Y” pattern means that the maximum and minimum extremes are the two front corners of the key and the rear.

Damage is calculated by counting the squares surrounding the player's starship for lasers, or surrounding the player's starship for torpedoes. Damage is indicated by the square counted, within that range (long/short). Damage points are awarded as follows: Long range: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Short range: 2, 4, 6, 8; Point-blank range: 8.

Specifically, for lasers, to determine the damage points, the players must count upward from directly behind the starship, around the starship, to the front of the starship. Maximum damage is reached at the front corner. Damage then counts back downwards to the front center of a player's starship. Wherever an opposing player's starship is located, that is how much damage the attacking starship's lasers will do to them.

For torpedoes, to determine the damage points, the players must count upward from the front corner of the opposing player's starship, around the starship, to the rear of the starship. Maximum damage is reached at the square directly behind a player's starship. Damage then counts back upward from the front corner to the front center of the opposing player's starship. Wherever the attacking starship is located, that is how much damage the torpedo will do to an opposing starship. Then, add two damage points.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, reflector shields are used by a starship as a defensive tactic to reduce or even nullify damage. When a player wants to use a reflector shield, he must declare that his starship is raising the reflector shield at the beginning of a combat encounter or when being fired upon. A player expends one point of power when he activates a shield and the player must place the respective coin on the starship to indicate shields are raised. Raising shields prevents a player from attacking with either the lasers or torpedoes for that specific combat encounter.

For each weapon used against a player's starship, the coin must be flipped to determine if the player's reflective shields hold or fail against the weapon. If the coin is flipped to heads, the shields hold. If the coin is flipped to tails, the shields fail. If a shield holds, then the player's starship takes no damage from lasers. However, torpedoes still inflict one point of damage at long range and two points of damage at short range or point-blank range. If a shield fails, the player still only takes half the amount of damage per attack but must round up.

In another embodiment of the current assembly, the ship console is used to monitor the starship's status and to keep score. Using a traditional cribbage board, each player uses two streets (rows) of 30 holes. Each player places his pegs on opposite sides, and ends, of the cribbage board. The two pegs begin at maximum on the left rows of the board, at the top, and are drawn toward each player as points are depleted. These holes represent the power level indicator bar and the shield level indicator bar of a player's starship.

The power bank bar is located at the leftmost outer bar, farthest from the opposing player's two bars. The power bank bar represents a starship's energy reserve. Each player has a maximum of thirty power points. A player must deduct one point per use from this bar if firing lasers, raising shields or moving at light-speed. A player's power replenishes gradually, so a starship may regain one point before plotting each course. After a player plots his next course, the player may transfer up to seven points of power to his shields by decreasing the power bank and increasing the shield bank. Further, a player may also transfer shield points to power points. Players are unable to change course after transfer of power or shields has occurred.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, the shield bank bar is located at the leftmost inner bar on the cribbage board, nearest to the opposing player's two bars. The shield bank bar represents the damage absorbed by a player's hull shields. This is different from raising a reflector shield in that this bar represents the integrity and lifespan of a player's starship. Each player has a maximum of thirty shield points. Whenever a player takes damage to his starship, the player must deduct points from the shield bank bar. If a player has no shield points remaining and the player's starship takes direct damage, the starship is destroyed and that player loses the game. Ties are possible, which would be akin to a stalemate in chess.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, repair cards are available when a player's starship is in dire need. A player can attempt to make emergency repairs to his starship three times per game. A player plays repair cards as he would any other navigation card in his plotted course. Each repair card is used only once by a player and then that player must turn the card over to his opposing player's custody. During repairs, a starship is stopped with shields raised cost-free and is unable to attack the opposing player's starship. If the player's starship takes any damage during repairs, the attempt to repair is interrupted and the repair is unsuccessful. Each successfully played repair card bestows points to a player's shield bank as follows: one point, plus an additional point for every fifteen points missing from both banks, to a maximum of five points per card.

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, a starship's power is expended when the starship enters light-speed, uses lasers, or raises reflector shields. Each of these activities requires the starship to expend one power point.

In order to win the game, it is a player's goal to destroy the opposing player's starship without losing his own ship in the process. Whomevers starship survives is the winner. A player may also win if the opposing starship chooses to surrender or self-destruct his ship. When a player has lost his final shield point, his starship is not actually destroyed yet until his starship takes at least one more point in damage. If both players' starships destroy each other simultaneously, then no one wins.

In another embodiment of the present assembly, a player may surrender defeat or self-destruct if the inevitable loss drags out over too much time. If a player has under ten points total remaining between both his power bank bar and his shield bank bar, and the player does not appear to be able to destroy the opposing player's starship, the player may opt to surrender or self-destruct his ship in order to avoid a lengthy and lingering end to the game.

Yet another object of the present assembly is to provide a one-on-one tactical space combat game, “Starship Chess.” Each player's flat house key playing piece is a fully maneuverable starship, complete with manageable resources, engines, weapons, and shields. Each player is a captain of his individual starship and must navigate the starship to gain an advantage over the adversary player with respect to direction and position.

A player may engage, withdraw, replenish, and reposition to plan out an attack. A player is required to think ahead, predict enemy tactics, and outwit the adversary player in order to win the game.

Two players set up a chessboard and each are designated a respective key game piece. The keys are placed on the chessboard and represent each player's starships in space. Each player also collects the special deck of cards too. The deck of cards are synonymous to navigation cards that will direct the player specifically on where to move and when to move their starship on the board.

To begin, both players lay three navigation cards face-down to plot the starship's course. These cards make the ship move and turn. Players flip each card over, one at a time, playing out the results of the card. Ships may soar halfway across the chessboard using a light speed option but this option costs the starship power.

If a player's starship comes in combat range with the opposing player's starship, then the player may attack by expending power for lasers or expend a torpedo card.

In one embodiment of the current assembly, damage to a player's starship is calculated by direction and location, and dice rolled to add to the overall total.

Power is also used for raising shields if a player needs to defend its starship instead of attack. Power points are drawn from the power bar of the player's console, and damage points are taken from the shield bar of the player's console (cribbage board).

In yet another embodiment of the present assembly, when a player reaches zero shield points and is then attacked, the player's respective starship is destroyed and that player loses the game.

Another object of the present assembly is to provide a game that is strategic and tactical. Players must remember that there are strategies that may be done before and during each round of play. Before each round of play, a player may regain one point of power and transfer points. During each round of play, a player may change his engine status cards accordingly. A player may also want to aim to stay behind the opposing player's starship. Further, a play may want to keep his opposing player's starship between the player's starship's front and side angles in order to avoid serious damage.

In another embodiment of the present assembly, the player may want to raise his reflector shields whenever the opposing player has the player's starship at a great disadvantage.

Players want to keep the shield bank bar as full as possible and plan evasive maneuvers with the starships when their shield bank bar approaches 50% full. Players want to reserve enough power to raise shields or fire lasers during any given navigation card. In addition, players want to reserve enough power to travel at light-speed, if a player plans to speed ahead.

A player whose starship is running low on resources and is able to maneuver the spaceship safely out of the opposing player's range, want to refrain from using light-speed in order to not expend further energy. A starship will want to move about at minimal power or come to a stop in order to regain energy.

It is in a player's best interest to use light-speed power not only to escape danger but as a way to initiate an attack on an opposing player.

A player, in order to confuse the opposing player as well as to reposition the starship, may use the reverse motion. However, this strategy should be used with caution.

A player wants to plan his repair cards for when the opposing player's starship is out of range. Torpedoes always disrupt repairs to a starship.

A player further wants to conserve the starship's torpedoes. The threat of plentiful torpedoes keeps the opposing player on the defensive when the player's starship is behind the opposing player's starship.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practice and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment the chess-like board game and a preferred embodiment of setup of the game; and

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate gameplay charts on how to calculate damage in the chess-like board game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the current chess-like board game, specifically the preferred setup of the game between two players. FIG. 1 is a reference that depicts how the game should be set up. All of the items are placed in specific locations and although a preferred setup, these locations are not mandatory and may be subject to change depending on the playing space available to the players and also subject to players' preferences. Starship chess 10 depicts a chess board 6 setup diagonally between two players. The players must place the keys or starships 22 in the depicted mandatory position. For the sake of minimizing confusion, the navigation cards 18 are kept together somewhere in front of each player. The engine-status cards 16 should be kept close to the navigation cards since both cards relate to one another. The players want to keep the stack of engine status cards 16 somewhere directly in front of the player so that the player does not forget to adjust them accordingly during gameplay. Engine status cards 16 must be kept sideways to differentiate them, but they may be tucked under a corner or side of the chess board if a player prefers.

The four torpedo cards 12 should always be grouped together face-up and spread out slightly so that the players can easily see how many torpedo cards are remaining. It is a preferred embodiment, that the torpedo cards 12 are generally half-tucked under the chessboard 6 if possible. The player's coins 20 and the player's individual die 14 can be stored anywhere during gameplay, and used when necessary. The cribbage board 8 is generally stored to one side of the chessboard 6, but can be located anywhere if space is limited. The playing deck, or “hand” is usually kept in the player's hand, or face-down on the table somewhere (not shown since preferable embodiment is in player's hand). Discarded cards by the players should be kept separated from cards in play. For example, discarded cards can be tucked under the cribbage board.

The cribbage board 8 also contains the pegs 5. The cribbage board is also known as the Starship Console during the game. In FIG. 1, the pegs 5 are in a starting position for the beginning of the game. In another embodiment the pegs may be customized. One peg may contain a lightning bolt on the top circle of the peg to symbolize energy and symbolize the starship's “Power Bar.” Another peg may contain a plus sign (+) on the top circle of the peg to symbolize health and symbolize the starship's “Shield Bar.”

FIG. 1 also depicts how movement is achieved when the starships 22 move off the edge of the chessboard 6, and reemerge on the other side. It depicts the three different possibilities of these moves, each with a different format of dotted lines to differentiate them from one another. Each set of dotted lines 7 has a matching set on the opposite side the chessboard 8. This should help players understand on which square their starships will land when it exists the edge of the chessboard. This dynamic will be referred to as a “wraparound effect” and allows the chessboard to be boundless, thus simulating infinite space. No starship 22 can be backed into a corner, and may continually move in any direction with unhindered movement.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate charts depicting ultimately how damage will be calculated in the game for both starship weapon types: lasers and torpedoes.

FIG. 2a specifically depicts the Laser Damage chart 30 depicts a player's starship 32 in the center. The lines emanating from the starship represent the starship's laser beams. The explosions in the squares at the end of each line depict the amount of damage to an opposing player's starship will take if located on a respective square in relation to the original player's starship.

FIG. 2B specifically depicts the Torpedo Damage chart 40, wherein the opposing player's starship 42 is in the center with the crosshairs of a target reticle over it. The surrounding squares depict an attacking player's torpedoes soaring toward the opposing player's starship. The damage the torpedoes would cause to the opposing player's starship is depicted by where the torpedoes are fired from in a respective square. In this figure, the torpedo bonus damage of plus two has already been added to the total, in order to save players the trouble of having to count while using the chart.

Both FIGS. 2A and 2B are charts intended to be used as a reference for players to make gameplay quicker and easer. These charts are not necessary or required for gameplay if the players can memorize and utilize the counting methods. 

What is claimed:
 1. A chess-like board game comprising: a plurality of game pieces further comprising: a game board further comprising a defined chessboard area of sixty four squares; a cribbage board; two identifiable decks of playing cards; two identifiable playing pieces to represent starships; at least one dice further comprising six-sides; at least one, but no more than two coins.
 2. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the game board is placed diagonally between two players.
 3. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the at least one, but more than two coins further comprise two side, a heads side and a tails side.
 4. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the two flat house keys are differently shaped for each player.
 5. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein each deck of playing cards is colored differently for each player.
 6. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the identifiable flat house keys correspond to a player's starship.
 7. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the cribbage board corresponds to a starship's console.
 8. The chess-like board game of claim 7, wherein the starship's console measures a starship's power point level and a starship's shield point level.
 9. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the 2 decks of playing cards, each deck further including a set of particular cards comprising: a set of 4, 5, 6, 10 of a first denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a second denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a third denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a fourth denomination of playing card; and a set of any three face cards selected form the group consisting of a first face card, a second face card, and a third face card.
 10. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the 2 decks of playing cards, each deck further including a set of particular cards comprising: a set of 4, 5, 6, 10 of a first denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a second denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a third denomination of playing card; a set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 of a fourth denomination of playing card; and a set of any three face cards selected from the group consisting of a first face card, a second face card, and a third face card.
 11. The chess-like board game of claim 10, wherein the faces of the first face card, the second face card, and the third face card are right-facing.
 12. The chess-like board game of claim 10, wherein the faces of the first face card, the second face card, and the third face card are left-facing.
 13. The chess-like board game of claim 11, wherein the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a second denomination of playing card; the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a third denomination of playing card; the set of Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of a fourth denomination of playing card; and wherein the faces of the left-facing three face cards and the right-facing three face-cards correspond to navigation cards of the chess-like board game.
 14. The chess-like board game of claim 10, wherein the 10 of the first denomination of playing card, the 10 of the second denomination of playing card, the 10 of the third denomination of playing card and the 10 of the fourth denomination of playing card correspond to torpedo cards.
 15. The chess-like board game of claim 10, wherein the 4, 5, 6 of the first denomination of playing card correspond to engine-status cards.
 16. The chess-like board game of claim 10, wherein the 7 of the second denomination of playing card, the 7 of third denomination of playing card, and 7 of fourth denomination of playing card correspond to repair cards.
 17. The chess-like board game of claim 1, wherein the at least one die, but no more than two dice six-sides further include indicia thereon corresponding to the numbers 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 rather than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
 6. 18. A method for playing a chess-like board game, comprising the steps of: providing a game board that includes a defined chessboard area of sixty four squares; providing two players with a set of game board pieces that include a cribbage board, two decks of playing cards, two playing pieces, at least one die, and at least one coin; placing the game board in a diagonal position between the two players; playing with the game pieces on the game board, until one player defeats other player.
 19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of playing with the game pieces further comprises the step of laying three navigation cards face-down around the game board by the two players; flipping each card over, one at a time, and playing out the results; moving a starship on the game board; attacking an opposing player's starship with torpedo cards; attacking an opposing player's starship with laser points; rolling the at least one dice to randomly attack an opposing player's starship; damaging an opposing player's starship; defending player's own starship; repairing player's own starship; and destroying an opposing player's starship. 